We should have suspected what was ahead for Eli Manning when his first pass of the season that night in Dallas was tipped at the line and intercepted.

The Giants would lose that game — their first of six straight — when another Eli pass in the closing minutes went into the hands of another Coowboy when Big Blue was trying to get in position to continue its mastery over Dallas in Jerry’s World.

Even with two Super Bowl titles in five years he’s still human and capable of mistakes.

Advertisement

For a lot of reasons there have been tons of them the last three months — not all his fault — but enough that until only four weeks he had been responsible for the worst start any Giants team has had in 40 seasons.

NBC pulled Eli off its Sunday Night Football big stage tonight so it could show off older brother Peyton trying to lead his Broncos past unbeaten Kansas City.

Turns out that worked out best for Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth because with Eli struggling and Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers hurting, today’s Giants/Packers game might not have been too great.

Given his playoff record and how he got Big Blue to the playoffs in the past, Eli can be forgiven for his current problems.

But only that can last so long.

Having to work behind the poorest offensive line he’s ever had protecting him, Eli has thrown fewer touchdowns (11) through nine games than he ever has. Plus the G-Men are scoring nine points a game less than they did in nine games last season, and only eight of his passes have gained 30 or more yards.

His coach Tom Coughlin tried to analyze the other day what is ailing Eli,

“We have always been a throw-the-ball-down-the-field team. In terms of numbers we’ve gotten a little bit away from that,” said Coughlin. “We had our spots picked pretty well the other day (a comeback win over the Raiders), but it didn’t work out.”

“One good throw will knock him right back out of it and he’ll be right back in it again,” wide receiver Victor Cruz insisted this past week. “He will get back in his rhythm and get back going again.”

Hakeem Nicks is just as confident, even with his numbers down dramatically. Like no touchdown catches and only a long of 57 yards among his 38 receptions.

“I don’t think about it,” Nicks said of his no-touchdown stat. “It’s going to come up. I don’t even know how many touchdowns I have on my resume already. Touchdowns come. It’s going to come. I don’t worry about it.”

The former No. 1 draft pick even goes so far as to predict his breakout day.

How does today against Green Bay sound?

“I have a good feeling I’m going to get in there Sunday,” Nicks proclaimed Thursday.

It probably would pay for him to get in the end zone a few times before the end of the year when he becomes a free agent. A campaign without a touchdown won’t help his negotiating power.

“I’m trying to do everything I’ve got to get in there (endzone), even if I have to break a tackle or whatever,” said Nicks.

“I’m itching for it now because everybody is talking about it (no TDs),” he said. “I’ve got to go ahead and do it.”

Certainly Eli Manning would love to see it happen today — and amazingly keep the Giants in the NFC Least title chase.